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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The latest addition to the Canadian brewery's award-winning roster makes an outstanding debutat the World Beer Championships

After garnering 12 new medals at the 2013 Chicago Beverage Tasting Institute World Beer Championships earlier this spring, Unibroue distinguishes itself again, this time in the Flavored Wheat Beer category. The Québec-based craft brewery, the first of its type in North America, is especially proud to have received two gold medals for its fruit flavoured beers, Éphémère Pomme and Éphémère Cherry, the latter having been launched barely a month ago.

“Such an honour, so soon after a new beer's launch, is all the more satisfying since it confirms that the product's perception is not based on hype or reputation,” says Sylvain Bouchard, beer sommelier at Unibroue. “Éphémère Cherry thus furthers our mission to create outstanding beers that are truly appreciated for their richness, their quality and above all, their flavour.”

This new honour translates into an impressive total of 210 medals and distinctions received by Unibroue since it created its exceptional selection of distinguished beers, some of which have gleaned more than their share of prestigious awards, including La Fin du Monde (36 medals, including 11 platinum and 15 gold), Trois Pistoles (26 medals), and Maudite (25 medals).

Unibroue beers are sold across Canada and the U.S. La Fin du Monde is Unibroue's most popular beer in the U.S.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

The NHL Alumni Association and Lake of Bays Brewing Company are proud to announce they have chosen the final recipe for their initial collaborative beer launch, scheduled to hit stores in September.

NHLAA Executive Director Mark Napier and several members of his team visited the brewery on Friday July 12 to play a bit of ball hockey and select which beer will be the first to be widely produced and sold. “This is delicious," said Napier of the group's choice. "This is going to be our flagship beer, so it has to be thirst-quenching yet distinctive. This really fits the bill."

Lake of Bays Brewing Co. and NHL Alumni Association inked a partnership deal in June to produce a series of collaborative beers. The flagship NHLAA brew, which has yet to be named, will roll out in time for the launch of the hockey season and will be available all year around.

The beer selected by the NHL Alumni is a golden lager made with German noble hops and Canadian malt.

"We expect this beer to be a huge hit with hockey-loving beer drinkers," said Napier. "What a great way to support our association and its many causes.”

“This is one of our best,” added Darren Smith, president and founder of Lake of Bays Brewing Company. “This is an easy-drinking lager, handcrafted using all-natural ingredients."

The NHLAA beers will be available initially at LCBOs across Ontario, as well as select pubs and restaurants in Ontario and Northeastern United States. The new brew will become available in Western Canada later in 2013.

A portion of the proceeds of the sales of all NHL Alumni beer will go to the NHL Alumni Association in support of its alumni and charitable causes.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Steam Whistle Brewing for the second year hosts their craft beer brethren in their own backyard for what Toronto Life Magazine named as one of the top 5 beer festivals to attend this year. The independent craft brewer will transform Roundhouse Park into a great outdoor festival where long-time beer fans and those newly discovering the craft beer movement can sample & savour offerings from local producers. From 12noon to 7pm the weekend of August 10th-11th, attendees will be able to pair flavourful ales, crisp lagers, seasonal and experimental beers with fare from gourmet food trucks, all within a park setting while local indie bands entertain.

Tim McLaughlin, Steam Whistle Brand Manager and festival organizer tempts, “We received a lot of great feedback about the vibe of the Roundhouse Craft Beer Festival last year. Our goal was to create a relaxed atmosphere for beer exploration and education. Expect to find many interesting and locally-made beers to sample. The festival setup provides plenty of room to linger and learn from Ontario Craft Brewers. And, we’ve more than doubled our food truck roster, so great eats are in store.”

The festival showcases beers from the association of Ontario Craft Brewers, who have a passion to re-kindle and keep alive the spirit of traditional brewing. Independent ownership, smaller batches, artisanal styles, quality ingredients, all-natural and undiluted beers are hallmarks of their Brewing Philosophy & Standards. www.ontariocraftbrewers.com

Sampling glasses can be purchased in advance for $10 at www.craftbeerfest.ca or for $15 at the door. Beer will only be served in the official glasses with beer sampling tickets costing $1. (glasses can be re-used on the second day of the festival). Food can be purchased with cash. This is an Age of Majority event.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

The owners of Toronto’s Festival of Beer have replaced their annual festival pocket guide (typically a paper booklet containing the map, ads and info), with a new eco-friendly phone app that will work for iPhone and Android users. The app provides attendees with an interactive map of Bandshell Park, the festival site, and personalized profiles for all of the food and beer exhibitors. Updated daily, this app also features the latest and greatest schedules for entertainment, the celebrity Grilling Tent sponsored by Labatt, and the educational Brewmaster Series presented by Niagara Brewing College.

The idea to go digital this year stemmed from president, Les Murray’s desire to minimize the waste produced by the previous festival guide and to engage the audience in a new way. The TFOB 2013 app allows users to log tasting notes and identify their favourite brands. There is also a voting function that allows attendees to select their top three brewers of TFOB 2013. By voting, consumers also have a chance to win two tickets to Toronto’s Festival of Beer for LIFE. This is the first time a prize so big has been offered to festival attendees in the hopes to push the new festival technology and the green mentality. The winner of the draw will receive two tickets to Toronto’s Festival of Beer every year beginning in 2014 until the festival under its current management ceases to exist.

The app also allows users to integrate with social media platforms and the splash page grants immediate access to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; in addition to an info section that explains more about the festival, the owners and how to use the app.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Hold the date! This year marks the 9th anniversary for the annual cask-conditioned craft beer festival known as Cask Days. Be sure to be there October 19th & 20th.

One of Toronto's (if not Canada's) premiere craft beer festivals, this is an event not to be missed! It will once again be held at the Halcim Gallery Brick Works, a space large enough to house the enormous crowds that have been steadily growing year over year.

Over 100 breweries are expected to participate with over 200 different cask beers. The official hashtag is #oncask.

A sure sell out as in the past, get your tickets when they go on sale Monday, August 12th, 2013. Check out CaskDays.com for more details. Or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

Friday, July 12, 2013

After taking Toronto by storm in September 2012, Hailo has joined forces with one of the city’s most popular summer festivals. This year, Toronto's Festival of Beer has made it easier than ever for beer lovers to enjoy themselves responsibly at the three-day festival and arrive alive with taxi service right at their fingertips.

An evolution of the traditional hail, Hailo is a free smartphone app which puts people just two taps away from a licensed Toronto taxi.

"Guest safety is our top priority — we want people to have fun, but also enjoy themselves responsibly and take all necessary precautions when arranging transportation to and from the festival," said Les Murray, President of Toronto's Festival of Beer. "We created this partnership with Hailo to ensure that everyone attending the festival has a way home that is safe, reliable and easy."

Featuring more than 200 brands of Canada’s favourite beverage, the Toronto Festival of Beer expects to draw up to 35,000 visitors to Bandshell Park at Exhibition Place from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, July 28.

Hailo promises to streamline the taxi experience for festival-goers in three ways:

· Hail in two taps. With Hailo you can hail a taxi from your home, office or restaurant and watch it arrive in real time.
· Safe and reliable. No more wandering the streets looking for a taxi. Hailo uses only licensed Toronto taxi drivers and provides every customer with the driver’s photo, name and rating before he or she arrives to pick you up.
· Effortless payment. Hailo’s integrated smartphone payment system means customers simply hop out of the cab at the end of a ride without having to hand over a credit card. An electronic receipt is sent immediately.
· Hailo is a free download for iPhone and Android at hailocab.com/toronto.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Ottawa, ONEven more to expect from annual festival, including Oktoberfest mix-pack into LCBO

Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. is proud to announce the 5th anniversary of Beau’s Oktoberfest. The two-day Bavarian-themed festival, taking place Friday October 4 and Saturday October 5, has involved more charities, and added more food, activities, and music. Headlining music acts include Sloan, Kathleen Edwards, and the return of Canada’s polka king Walter Ostanek. In advance of the festival, a commemorative 4-pack of special Oktoberfest beers will be released into LCBO stores.

“It is a special kind of wunderbar to finally get to announce some of the great things we’ve been lining up for this year’s Oktoberfest. The music, the food, and of course the beer are really exciting for all of us here at the brewery and I’m already counting down the days until we get to see all our fans and friends in Vankleek Hill again,” says Beau’s co-founder Steve Beauchesne.

The all-Canadian musical lineup for 2013 is jam-packed with award-winning and renowned independent artists. Traditional Bavarian music will be performed by three-time Grammy Award winner Walter Ostanek. Evening entertainment will include Juno Award winning rock/power pop quartet Sloan, Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, and Juno Award winners The Sadies; as well as The Mahones, Young Rival, The Balconies, and Rich Aucoin.

Foodies will be presented with even more Bavarian and seasonally inspired creations to choose from this year. Beau’s has lined up more than 20 restaurants from across Ontario, including returning favourites Brothers Beer Bistro and Whalesbone Catering as well as excited newcomers Union 613, Two Six {Ate}, and Toronto’s Wvrst.

Rounding out the festival, activities that include the “Stein-Hold Struggle,” spouse-carrying race, sausage-eating contest, malt-sack races, and the beer keg toss are returning fan favourites. The non-licensed Kinderfest is back for 2013, with new and fun interactive games for children. For a learning experience, the Speaker Series will offer guided talks from beer experts on all things craft beer, including how to evaluate beer styles and pair craft beer with food.

Also new this year, for the first time Beau’s enthusiasts across Ontario will be able to purchase a Beau’s Oktoberfest mixed 4-pack from select LCBOs, beginning in early September. The 4-pack will feature past Oktoberfest favourites Oktobock (a bock), Smokin’ Banana Peels Rauch Weissbier, Mr. Hyde (Roggenbier meets RyePA), and Two Weeks’ Notice German Porter. The 4-pack will also sell through home delivery via BYBO, and the brewery retail store.

Oktoberfest 2013 will feature 9 different Beau’s beers on tap, including new beer creations designed specifically for the festival. Visitors will be able to try different homebrews and vote for their favourite in The Members of Barleyment onsite homebrew competition. Prizes will be awarded for People’s Choice, and the winner of the Judge’s Choice award will brew a batch of beer at Beau’s.

Over the course of five years, Beau’s signature fundraising event has raised over $163,000 for local charities. This year’s fundraising goal of $75,000 is a $10,000 jump from last year’s festival. To ensure the goal is met, Beau’s is implementing innovative fundraising methods that include a charity bike ride from Ottawa to Oktoberfest, a midway with interactive games, and a beer-filled dunk tank. This year’s selected charities include United Way Ottawa, Canadian Canoe Foundation, Kiva, Just Food, and the Vankleek Hill Agricultural Society.

The festival, which last year drew attendance of 12,000 and raised $65,000 for local charities, will be two days this year instead of three. “By focusing our efforts on Friday and Saturday, we expect to be increasing total visitors and money raised for charity, as well as improving what was already an amazing experience,” explains Beauchesne. “It made sense to us, since everything we do at Beau’s focuses on quality over quantity, to continue that philosophy with our signature fundraiser.”

Early bird tickets for Oktoberfest 2013 will go on sale beginning Thursday August 8. A single day pass for adults can be purchased for $22, or a two-day pass for $38. Youth admission (18 or younger) is $5. Round trip shuttle buses to and from Ottawa, Montreal and Cornwall are available to provide guests with a convenient and safe way to fully experience Oktoberfest. Round trip bus fare can be added onto any ticket for $15. To gain free admission, Beau’s welcomes “Volun-beers” to help out during the festival — those interested can apply at www.beaus.ca/volunteer.

Friday, July 5, 2013

For the second year in a row, Wellington Brewery picked up medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championship this week in Atlanta, Georgia.

The U.S. Open Beer Championship is an international competition that included over 2,500 beers entered in 68 different categories. This year the competition featured more than 20 international breweries from Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Columbia, Sweden, Finland, England, and more.

Wellington Brewery won a total of 3 medals at this year's competition. Arkell Best Bitter was awarded a Silver Medal in the 'Bitter' category. After winning medals this year at both the Canadian Brewing Awards and Ontario Brewing Awards, Iron Duke took home a Bronze Medal in the 'Old Ale' category. Wellington's flagship brand, SPA won a Bronze Medal in the 'English Pale Ale' category.

Brent Davies, Vice-President of Wellington Brewery says, "We're honoured to have our beers recognized on an international level. These medals are a reflection of our dedication to brewing consistent, high quality craft beer". Every year, Wellington Brewery continues to grow and reach new audiences with their award-winning line-up of beers. So far, 2013 has seen record sales and a rapidly expanding customer base for the Guelph, ON based brewery, founded in 1985.

Arkell Best Bitter and SPA are available year-round at The Beer Store and LCBO locations across Ontario. Iron Duke is exclusively available at The Beer Store.

You can read the full results at www.usopenbeer.com. Thanks to the judges and congratulations to our other Canadian brewers who also won awards!

The past decade has being one of significant change and growth in the beer category and for beer-lovers worldwide. With new craft brewers, brewpubs, and new styles of beer popping up across the globe, it is almost impossible to keep up with the craze. In 2011, Ontario craft beer sales at the LCBO increased 52.7 % - with so many brands to choose from, it is hard to narrow down your options. This year Toronto’s Festival of Beer will try to help! They have designated a specific section at the festival for New Brews from Canada, along with a showcase of West Coast beers in their World of Beer Pavilion to expand your horizons.
Every year at Toronto’s Festival of Beer, the World of Beer Pavilion showcases beer from a specific region, and this year they have focused on the West coast of North America. The West is producing some of the best craft beers out there and is arguably the birthplace of the hop-forward beer trend that is currently taking over the market. This year at Toronto’s Festival of Beer, find West Coast favorites from Granville Island, Central City Brewing Company, Tree Brewery and Rogue Brewery and more. Keep your eyes peeled for Sierra Nevada, Stone Brewing, Firestone Walker and Silver City Brewing popping up in the World of Beer Pavilion as well. You can’t miss these creations from Oregon, BC and California.

In addition to sampling hop-forward flavor of West Coast beers, make sure to try some of the newest beers from Ontario at the New Brews section of TFOB. The New Brews section highlights the freshest and newest brews to hit the Ontario market. This year you can find creations from Toronto’s Snowman Brewing exclusive Gluten-free brewery located in Etobicoke, Silversmith Brewery from Niagara, in addition to Rambling Road from the Brantford area and more!

Breweries in the New Brews area and the World of Beer Pavilion will be pouring great beer over the course of July 26th-28th at Bandshell Park, Exhibition Place. To gain access to these areas at Toronto’s Festival of Beer, make sure to buy your tickets at www.beerfestival.ca.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Cameron’s Cream Ale took the gold medal in the American Cream Ale Category for second year in a row. Breweries from around the world sent in more than 2500 beers representing 68 different categories for the 2013 U.S. Open Beer Championship. Judges from England, Canada and the United States announced the winners this week and more than 20 international breweries from Canada, Belgium, Germany, Mexico, Columbia, Sweden, Finland and England medaled in this competition.

"The competition is really intense amongst all the fine products submitted from around the world. A number of our Cameron’s hand-crafted beers have been receiving medals consistently every year for the past four years at the U.S. Open Beer Championship, which means we must be doing something right,” says Bill Coleman, President and Co-Owner, Cameron’s Brewing Company.

Cameron’s Cream Ale is the beer that started our company and was hailed by Toronto Life in 1998 as “best new beer of the year.” Cameron’s Cream Ale was described in a recent blog as ” a somewhat different take on the cream ale, possessing a strong malty taste and a clear British hop presence, but with a clean taste that is reminiscent of lager… a beer that is subtle and quite unique”.